as in generosity
feelings and behavior that show a desire to help other people and a lack of selfishness
charitable acts motivated purely by altruism In one final act of altruism, she donated almost all of her money to the hospital.
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Recent Examples of altruism
Providing service to others seems like a good cure for what ails us today — a true lack of altruism and looking out for each other regardless of race, gender or religion, etc.
—
Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Advertisement The company has deep roots in effective altruism (EA), a social and philanthropic movement dedicated to using reason to do the most good, including by averting catastrophe.
—Harry Booth, Time, 11 Mar. 2026
Whether the motivations are development, altruism, returns or security, there is a role and reward for putting energy and resources into this effort.
—Ajaypal Banga, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
The Terms of Service of Anthropic’s defective altruism will never outweigh the safety, the readiness, or the lives of American troops on the battlefield.
—Tina Nguyen, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for altruism
Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Advertisement The company has deep roots in effective altruism (EA), a social and philanthropic movement dedicated to using reason to do the most good, including by averting catastrophe.
—Harry Booth, Time, 11 Mar. 2026
Whether the motivations are development, altruism, returns or security, there is a role and reward for putting energy and resources into this effort.
—Ajaypal Banga, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
The Terms of Service of Anthropic’s defective altruism will never outweigh the safety, the readiness, or the lives of American troops on the battlefield.
—Tina Nguyen, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for altruism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altruism
Noun
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Our policies have been defined more by optimism and generosity than by selfishness and cynicism.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
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Released regionally by Angel Studios, widely known for conservative and Christian content, the movie’s last moment is framed as partisan generosity.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The King's Trust is a charity that Charles founded in 1976.—
Emma Caughlan,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
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As a result, anyone without relatives abroad who could send dollars was left at a disadvantage, which for many elderly people means surviving on the charity of neighbors.—
Sarah Moreno
Updated April 29,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This is a research area that really needs private—billionaire—philanthropy.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Charity mission dispute Musk told jurors that OpenAI’s transformation threatens broader trust in philanthropy.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Altruism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altruism. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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